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Land mark supreme court cases
This is for street law class -
Marbury V. Madison (1803)
At the end of the President John Adams' term, his Secretary of State didn't deliver the documents commissioning William Marbury as Justice of the Peace in the District of Columbia. Marbury then sued James Madison asking the Supreme Court to issue a writ. The Decision were unanimous (5-0) Marbury did have the right to a remedy but the Supreme Court do not have the power to provide the remedy. This case showed the limits of the court's power. -
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
The U.S. government created the first national bank for the country in 1791. Maryland attempted to close the national bank by passing a law that forced all banks that were created outside of the state to pay a yearly tax. James McCulloch refused to pay the tax. Maryland sued him and won but McCuloch appealed the decision. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled in McCulloch favor. They said the bank was neccessary for congress to exercise their powers. This showed how much power congress have. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
In this case Dred Scott sued the widow of his dead owner. He believed that he is free because he is in a free state. The desicion was 0-6 Dred Scott may be in a free state but he is still owned by his owner's family. This case showed the world that sometimes the Supreme court can make a bad decision. -
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
This case is about the Separate Car Act saying that color people must sit in the color people sits. Homer Plessy was arrested for sitting in the white's sits. The decision was 7-1 the court rejected Plessy argument. They said it's alright because of separate but equal. This case was a bad decision but the effect it had on the world was allowing more segregation. -
Koremastu v. the United States(1944)
After Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941 the U.S. Government passed the Executive Order 9066 that force people with Japanese Ancestry to go to internment camp. Koremastu resisted and was arrested. He challenge his conviction saying the congress, the president, and the military do not have the authority to issue a relocation order and that it was based on race. It was 6-3 Koremastu lost and his convictions was upheld. This case was one that really strip an American rights. -
Brown v. Board of Education(1954)
This case is about the school system being segregated by race. Brown's daughter had to walk 4 miles to get to her school but Brown sued the school for not allowing his daughter to go to the school that is closer. He said it violated the 14th Amendment. The supreme Court decision was 9-0 sating that it was unconstitutional. Ths case allowed for non segregation in school. -
Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
Mapp was violated of her rights due to a search of her house without a legal search warrant. The police oringinally wanted to search the house for a bombing terrorist but ended up finding porn in her trunk which at the time were illegal. The decision was 4-3 with Mapp pornographic evidence being excluded because of the police's blunder. This case showed the world that evidence that is obtain illegally would be excluded so police need to have the right procedure to convict someone. -
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
Clarence Earl Gideon was convicted of larceny all because he had not defend himself correctly. He had asked for a lawyer due to the 6th Amendment but they did not appoint him one. During Jail time he wrote a letter to the Supreme Court. The decision was 9-0 proving that Gideon do deserved to be appointed an lawyer. This case changed the legal system and allowed all to be appointed a lawyer. -
Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
Ernesto Miranda was arrested after a crime victim identified him. The police did not iinform him of his 5th and 6th Amendment. His lawyer argued that his confession should have been excluded. The decision was 5-4. This case created te Miranda rights which all police officer must inform people of their rights. -
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
Mary Beth Tinker and her friends wore black arm band as a protest against American involvement in Vietnam. The school suspended them for not taking it off when they asked them to. They argued it was symbolic speech. The decision was 7-2. The 1st Amendment do applied to public school. This case changed the world by allowing symbolic speech in school. -
Roe v. Wade (1973)
Jane Roe was an unmarried and pregnant texas resident in 1970. Texas law made it a felony to abort a fetus unless it's life threatening. Roe filed a suit against Wade the district attorney of personal liberty and the right to privacy implicitly guaranteed in the 1th, 4th, 5th, 9th, and 14th Amendment. The decision was 7-2 in Favor of Roe. This case is still being debate today in our modern time period. -
NJ v. T.L.O (1985)
This case is about a high school student that had been stripped search. The school suspected her of possesing drugs from a tip they got from another students. Her mother filed a suit against the school stating that they violated the 4th Amendment. The decision was 6-3 stating that the 4th Amendment does applied to school. This case let the school around the world that you can't conduct a strip search without "reasonable suspicion". -
Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier(1988)
This case is about the students news paper. The principle had censor two article without informing the students. They filed a suit saying the principle had violated their 1st Amendment. The decisionn was 5-3 allowing them to practice freedom of press as long as the school had it open to the public which they did. The effect this case had is simply to validate whether or not can you censor school newspaper for all school.
